Monthly Archives: August 2011

THE DIAMOND HOUSE DESIGN-A PARADIGM SHIFT IN EAST AFRICAN ARCHITECTURE

August 31, 2011A4architecta4architect

THE DIAMOND HOUSE DESIGN-A PARADIGM SHIFT IN EAST AFRICAN ARCHITECTURE

‘The mark of a great architectural design is its ability to influence a paradigm shift from the usual house design to a better design.’ Arch. Dr. Mburu-lecturer-JKUCAT

The Diamond house design created by http://www.a4architect.com is inspired from the great Botswana diamonds shape .
The Diamond house concept reduced the construction cost of a residential house by 32%. This reduction of cost is the main reason that the Diamond House will mark the beginning of a paradigm shift from the current residential house designs aw we know them to the Diamond house shape.

From DIAMOND HOUSE FLAT ROOF

PITCHED ROOF
The pitched roof is the most noticeable form of residential houses in Kenya and East Africa.
Its origin can be attributed from the colonial British architecture where it was designed to enable snow to slide down the roof during snow periods.

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The British colonial masters did not change the design to fit within the Kenyan / East African savannah climate that has no snow.
This design has been repeated over and over for tens of years until it’s the ‘normal’ way to roof houses in Kenya/East Africa.
The North African countries such as Senegal, Mali, Libya, Egypt and Ethiopia use flat roofs and to them, pitched roofs seem very odd and out of place. See pictures here
http://www.google.com/search?q=north+african+house+designs+pictures&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=840&bih=465&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=isxdTpLoC4i38gOa8oCqAw&ved=0CCEQsAQ

TRADITIONAL AFRICAN ARCHITECTURE
Traditional African huts had pitched roofs made of thatch for the communities living around highlands such as Central province where rain is frequent. For communities living in the dry areas such as the Maasai, they utilized flat roofs in their Manyatta designs. The reason for this is because the region receives minimal rainfall hence no need to slope the roof.

NEW ROOFING MATERIALS
Colonialisation in Kenya/East Africa brought with it new roofing materials such as iron sheets, clay and concrete roofing tiles.
The traditional thatch roof was replaced with better roofing materials that could necessitate for flat roof. Thatch roof requires the pitch to be steep in order for it to work efficiently. Roof materials such as iron sheet can work efficiently on slopes which are near flat.
With these new roofing materials, Kenya/East African architecture is bound to move towards a more efficient design similar to the North African architecture.

DIAMOND HOUSE PLAN
The Diamond house plan has opened the way for Kenyans/East Africans to change the paradigm shift to flat roofs which are more efficient and less costly-32% savings- than the pitched roofs.
See the Diamond House cost breakdowns here.
Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau
http://www.a4architect.com
+254721410684
CURRENT CONSTRUCTION COST RATES
http://ujenzibora.com/nahinga/?p=1203

DIAMOND HOUSE BY WWW.A4ARCHITECT.COM

August 29, 2011A4architecta4architect

DIAMOND HOUSE BY WWW.A4ARCHITECT.COM

From DIAMOND HOUSE FLAT ROOF

The architectural firm of PRISM DESIGNS AFRICAS http://www.a4archtect.com has come up with a design to reduce the overall construction cost of the DIAMOND HOUSE by 32%.
This design is achieved through the below steps:

1.USE CREATIVE CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY.

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Use of creative construction technology using locally available construction
materials available in all hardware shops in Kenya reduces the overall construction
cost by 32%. All materials used are locally available in any hardware
shop e.g walling is done using machine cut or hand dressed quarry stone, roofing
using iron sheets .
http://www.a4architect.com Diamond House plan technology works in reducing
the ammount of concrete on the foundation ,ammount of roof cover surface area and
the ammount of timber on roof successfuly
reducing 32% of the overall cost of construction.Construction cost is calculated by
adding up all materials required to construct the house and adding the labour to
put up the materials together to form the house. According to Nairobi City
Council,the average construction cost per m2 is KES 22,000.
The Diamond house construction is estimated at KES 15,000 per square meter,
representing a 32% reduction in overal construction cost.

2.CONSTRUCT YOUR HOUSE IN PHASES

Its important to phase house construction according to your current
space needs and financial ability.
This way, all finances are used to construct spaces/rooms that will
be immediately used by the house
owner i.e the money that could have
been used to construct a 3rd bedroom for a family of 3 is saved
until the family requires to add the
extra bedroom.
You can start with the PHASE 1- 1 bedroomed[dining room can be used
as a 2nd bedroom]. This is 45m2 in plinth area and
is estimated at KES 676,000 without external works such as septic
tank, electricity wiring and wardrobes
Phase 2[2 bedroomed] is 67m2 in floor area and is estimated at
KES 1.05 million without external works such as septic tank,
electricity wiring and wardrobes.Phase 3 [3 Bedroomed] is 92m2
in floor area and is estimated at KES 1.38 Million without
external works such as septic tank, electricity wiring and wardrobes.
The http://www.a4architect.com Diamond House is designed to allow for
phased construction as the family unit increases
in size, starting from 1 to 2 to 3 bedrooms.

3.USE TRIED AND TESTED CONSTRUCTION
PROCUREMENT PROCESS-
LABOUR BASED CONTRACT.

Most residential houses constructed in Kenya employ this method of procurement.
A labour-based contract is where the house owner supplies a local fundi or contractor
with all the materials needed and pays the fundi/contractor for their labour.
Once the house owner has a list of all the materials needed and the average
market price for each, they can make an informed decision and save alot of
time and finances in the process. Armed with the documentation and list of all materials needed,
the house owner can sucessfully implement the house project anywhere in Kenya and East Africa.
http://www.a4architect.com Diamond House is designed to be user-friendly for labour-based contracts.
Periodic construction supervision where necessary is availed to the house owner.

IMPLEMENTATION
This design is implemented trough the below process:

1.choose a phase that suits you,
2.contact http://www.a4architect.com
obtain your Diamond House documentation and
3.
visit your nearest Bank branch for construction
financing to achieve your dream home anywhere
in Kenya.

COSTS
Phase 1-1 bedroomed[dining room can be used as extra bedroom] -45m2.
Estimated Construction cost[excluding septic tank, electrical wiring,wardrobes]:KES 676,000
Phase 2-2 bedroomed – 67m2.
Estimated Construction cost[excluding septic tank, electrical wiring,wardrobes]:KES 1,005,000
Phase3-3 bedroomed- 92 m2.
Estimated Construction cost[excluding septic tank, electrical wiring,wardrobes]:KES 1,380,000

The Architectural drawings and Bills of Quantities are available for your perusal .
Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau.
Registered Architect.
http://www.a4architect.com
+254721410684
CURRENT CONSTRUCTION COST RATES
http://ujenzibora.com/nahinga/?p=1203

APPROVAL OF BUILDING PLANS IN KENYA- KAJIADO COUNTY COUNCIL

August 25, 2011A4architecta4architect

APPROVAL OF BUILDING PLANS IN KENYA- KAJIADO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Approval of Building Plans is a process undertaken by a Government to ensure that buildings are constructed safe for human habitation and as per the Government’s planning control.

For example, the approval process checks whether the building is safe and structurally sound and whether the building materials proposed are also safe for human habitation.
The process also checks if the proposed development is within the council long term plans e.g in Karen area, each house is to be within a minimum of 0.5 acre plot, in Syokimau area, each house is to be within a plot of minimum 0.125 acres, in Nairobi CBD, each building must be high density, high-rise, e.t.c.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The authority to check and approve buildings in Kenya and most Countries in the world is given to the Ministry of Local Government. The Ministry then uses the Councils to implement this.

Approval of Building Plans in Kenya differs from Council to council depending on the size. Larger councils such as Nairobi, Mombasa and Nakuru usually have all necessary departments in house while smaller councils such as Kajiado have to outsource some services form the neighboring Government Ministries.

KAJIADO COUNTY COUNCIL

Kajiado county council jurisdiction covers areas such as Kitengela, Ongata Rongai, Ngong, Kerarapon, Kiserian, Matasia, Isinya and Kajiado towns.

The process at Kaiado county council is as follows:

1. Architect/land owner presents the drawings to Kajiado council Office assistant planner.

2. Assistant planner checks if all documents are there i.e. copy of title, all drawings, site plans, survey plans. Mutation plans, architect’s registration certificate, e.t.c

3. If all necessary documents are there, assistant planner asks architect/land owner to pay KES 500 to the council cashier to get the application form.

4. At the cashier’s office, it’s a mandatory requirement that for architect/land owner to purchase the forms, he has to have a copy of search or title deed.

5. After purchase of application form and the application is filled appropriately, all the documents are taken to the Planner for checking. If they meet the minimum requirements, the approval application fees can now be paid after the planner gives a Go-ahead. At this stage, the planner will either ask the architect/land owner to change the drawings to fit the council requirements or will give the go-ahead to commence the procedures.

6. After the council fees are paid, the drawing now circulates to the necessary personnel to get the approval stamps. This process takes a minimum of 2 weeks to a maximum of 2 months.

7. In large local authorities such as Nairobi, they have all the departments necessary such as structural engineering, public health and land planners. In smaller local authorities such as Kajiado, they outsource these services to the relevant Ministries situated in Kajiado. For public health, architect/land owner is sent to the Ministry of Health representative. For structural/architectural approvals, the architect/land owner is sent to the Ministry of Public works representative. For land planning, the architect/land owner is sent to the Ministry of Lands representative in Kajiado.

8. After the drawings are stamped by all the above representatives, they are returned by the architect/land owner back to the Planner for the final approval stamp accompanied by an approval letter. The final approval stamp plus the letter is what is termed as a building plan approval and will be later used by the banks e.t.c.

9. All the above process will take between 2 weeks to 2 months to complete depending on the intervention of the architect/land owner in each of the above offices. The architect/land owner must be available to promptly answer to each department’s queries.
10. The council fees are in two stages- [a]the fees payable directly to the Council for services rendered by the council
[b] fees payable directly to the Government Ministries offering other services e.g Pubic Works, Health, Land.
11. Where necessary as deemed by the council Planner, a change of user is done by a registered physical planner as an independent consultant. He then lodges it for approval at the council together with the architectural drawings. The land owner enters into an independent agreement with a registered planner for him to offer this service.

Feel free to inquire for any further clarification.
Regards,

Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau,
+254721410684
http://www.a4architect.com

10 ADVANTAGES OF USING DIAMOND HOUSE PLAN BY WWW.A4ARCHITECT.COM

August 16, 2011A4architecta4architect

10 ADVANTAGES OF USING DIAMOND HOUSE PLAN BY WWW.A4ARCHITECT.COM

INTRODUCTION

From DIAMOND HOUSE FLAT ROOF

The walls are made of the usual masonry quarry stone or interlocking stabilized soil blocks,roofs made of the usual iron sheets, doors from the usual wood door Kenyan manufacturers and window frames from the usual aluminum/Louvre systems.

From DIAMOND HOUSE FLAT ROOF

10 ADVANTAGES

1. It will be easier for potential home owners to be able to plan for construction funding and spending well since the Diamond House plan is standardized and uses unique construction cost reduction techniques.

2. Potential home owners can construct in phases since the Diamond House plan is designed to be built in phase as the income of the house owner grows.

From HAITI HOUSE FRONT TYPE

3. Potential home owners/Financiers can be able to track and get info on construction loans since the Diamond House plan is standardized hence each previous construction loan becomes a ‘case study’ for the next hence improvement of services.

4. Financiers will help to disseminate unique information about construction cost savings through a4architect’s Diamond House plan to its customers, thereby adding to their much needed contribution to society.

5. Less work load on potential home owners/Financiers on interpreting and comprehending technical construction jargon since the a4architect.com’s Diamond House plan is standardized and complete with all info including quantities and prices necessary for them to make an informed decision.

6 potential home owners will be able to obtain the lowest amount of construction loan hence the Diamond House plan resulting to the lowest amount of total mortgage repayment possible.

From HAITI HOUSE FRONT TYPE

7. Potential home owners/Financiers will have an easier time in making crucial decisions regarding construction loans, comprehending the house type and costs involved since the Diamond House plan is standardized hence each construction loan serves as a learning experience for the next.

8. Potential home owners can now have easier access to all information necessary for them to obtain construction loans. Information such as house design costs and construction methods that they can use to reduce overall cost of construction can now be obtained easily in a ‘one stop shop’ method.

9. Potential home owners/Financiers can be able to track, solve and rectify problems in disbursement and usage of the construction materials and labor since the Diamond House plan is designed to be implemented in Phases and is standardized.

10. Almost all materials specified in the Diamond House plan are locally made hence not affected by the ever rising dollar which affects most imported materials. This use of locally made materials helps to create employment as it keeps construction costs low. The materials specified are indigenous to each region e.g coral blocks for Coast region, quarry stone for Nairobi region, stabilized soil blocks for Nyanza region.
Potential home owners/Financiers will have contributed in creating employment in Kenya by enabling Kenyans to Buy Kenyan Build Kenya.

CONCLUSION

Currently, the Diamond House plan offers the best economically viable solution to housing in Kenya . According to the Nairobi City Council Planning department, the cost of construction per square meter is currently at KES 22,000. The construction methodology used in the Diamond House plan reduces this to KES 15,000 per square meter.
According to Google search,The lowest cost of Prefabricated Housing available in Kenya is KES 23,000 per square meter.
http://www.google.com/search?q=cost+of+prefabs+in+kenya&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Therefore, the Diamond House plan is the best option that provides the most viable solution to housing in Kenya.

HOW TO OBTAIN YOUR DIAMOND HOUSE PLAN

To view costs of obtaining the Diamond House plan, click here.
http://www.a4architect.com/2011/08/14/the-haiti-house-plan-costs-breakdown/

Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau
http://www.a4architect.com
+254721410684
CURRENT CONSTRUCTION COST RATES AS PER AAK:
http://ujenzibora.com/nahinga/?p=1203

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August 16, 2011A4architecta4architect

ADVANTAGES OF USING HAITI HOUSE PLAN BY WWW.A4ARCHITECT.COM

1. It will be easier for potential home owners to be able to plan for construction funding and spending well since the Haiti House plan is standardized and uses unique construction cost reduction techniques.

2. Potential home owners can construct in phases since the Haiti House plan is designed to be built in phase as the income of the house owner grows.

3. Potential home owners can be able to track and get info on construction loans since the Haiti House plan is standardized hence each previous construction loan becomes a ‘case study’ for the next hence improvement of services.

4. Potential home owners help to disseminate unique information about construction cost savings through a4architect’s Haiti House plan to its customers, thereby adding to their much needed contribution to society.

5. Less work load on potential home owners on interpreting and comprehending technical construction jargon since the a4architect.com’s Haiti House plan is standardized and complete with all info including quantities and prices necessary for them to make an informed decision.

6 potential home owners will be able to obtain the lowest amount of construction loan hence the Haiti House plan offers the lowest amount of total mortgage repayment.

7. Potential home owners will have an easier time in making crucial decisions regarding construction loans, comprehending the house type and costs involved since the Haiti House plan is standardized hence each construction loan serves as a learning experience for the next.

9. Potential home owners can be able to track, solve and rectify problems in disbursement and usage of the construction materials and labor since the Haiti House plan is designed to be implemented in Phases and is standardized.

10. Almost all materials specified in the Haiti House plan are locally made hence not affected by the ever rising dollar which affects most imported materials. This use of locally made materials helps to create employment as it keeps construction costs low. The materials specified are indigenous to each region e.g coral blocks for Coast region, quarry stone for Nairobi region, stabilized soil blocks for Nyanza region.
Potential home owners will have contributed in creating employment in Kenya.

CONCLUSION
Currently, the Haiti House plan offers the most economically viable housing solution in Kenya.

Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau
http://www.a4architect.com
+254721410684

THE DIAMOND HOUSE PLAN COSTS BREAKDOWN

August 14, 2011A4architecta4architect

THE DIAMOND HOUSE PLAN COSTS BREAKDOWN
INTRODUCTION

From DIAMOND HOUSE FLAT ROOF

The Diamond House Plan designed by a4architect.com offers the most efficient eco-friendly utility available for construction of houses in Kenya based on ‘GREEN ARCHITECTURE’.

From HAITI HOUSE FLAT ROOF

This is due to the Diamond House© construction technology that uses a holistic approach in maximizing efficiency and reduction of overall construction cost.

https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

All main elements in a building, namely foundation, walling, roofing, windows and doors and finishes have been carefully designed and the most efficient method of construction for each element selected.
Use of this Diamond House© Plan methodology has achieved a major savings in terms of overall construction cost.
DIAMOND HOUSE PITCHED ROOF VERSIONhttps://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

NAIROBI CITY COUNCIL COST ESTIMATES

According to the Nairobi City Council planning department, construction cost per square meter is at KES 22,000 for a low to middle cost house. This means that the Diamond House© Plan house would cost KES 22,000X45m2=KES990, 000.
The same house constructed using the Diamond House© Plan technology will cost approximately KES 14,800X 45M2=KES 666,000.
This represents a KES 324,000 savings to the house owner. This is approximately 40% of savings achieved through efficient use of building technology.

DIAMOND HOUSE FLAT ROOF VERSIONhttps://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

COST OF Diamond House© PLANS

The cost of the Diamond House© Plan is derived from CAP 525 of the Laws of Kenya.
See a copy of CAP 525 ARCHITECTS AND QUANTITY SURVEYORS OF KENYA ACT here
http://www.kenyalaw.org/klr/index.php

ARCHITECTURAL COSTS CALCULATIONS

The total estimated cost of constructing the Diamond House© PHASE 1 is KES 666,000.
Fees breakdown as per CAP 525 of the Laws of Kenya is broken down as follows:

Inception- 0%- 0
Outline proposals- 1%- 6660
Scheme design- 1.5%- 9990
Detailed Design- 2%- 13320
Tender action to completion- 1.5%- 9990

The Scheme design is valued at KES 9,990.

Other services such as Detailed design [KES 13,320], tender action and construction supervision [KES 9,990] are charged as shown above.
Site visits are charged depending on the site location from CBD in tandem to the AA of Kenya transport rates.
After the scheme design stage, the next stages i.e. Detailed Design and Tender action to completion are necessary for the customer to benefit from the full consultancy service whereby the Diamond House© construction technology is used to further reduce the overall construction cost.
LOCAL AUTHORITY APPROVALS
The Local Authority require that all constructions in Kenya are approved. To conform with this, a copy of the mutation plan or site plan or survey plan of the plot which shows the plot dimensions is required to be submitted to http://www.a4architect.com. This copy can be scanned and emailed or can be delivered physically. On receipt of this, http://www.a4architect.com will then produce signed drawings and Architectural practice registration certificates to be submitted to the Local Authority for approval.

TENDER ACTION AND CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION

To realize the low construction costs as described in the Diamond House©, the procurement of construction services is recommended to be labor based. The house owner is advised to enter into contract with a local labor-based contractor who will supply labor only. The house owner then works with a nearby hardware shop who will then supply materials to the site as per the materials breakdown.
This method will save the house owner and will help reduce the cost of construction to a manageable level.

PAYMENT METHODS.

Payment can be through Paypal, Mpesa , bank-to bank transfer, cheque or in cash.

Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau
+254721410684
info@a4architect.com
http://www.a4architect.com

August 14, 2011A4architecta4architect

THE HAITI HOUSE PLAN COSTS BREAKDOWN

The Haiti House Plan designed by a4architect.com offers the lowest cost available for construction of houses in Kenya.
This is due to the Haiti House© construction technology that uses a holistic approach in reduction of overall construction cost.
All main elements in a building, namely foundation, walling, roofing, windows and doors and finishes have been carefully designed and the lowest cost of construction for each element selected.
Use of this Haiti House© Plan methodology has achieved a major savings in terms of overall construction cost.

https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

NAIROBI CITY COUNCIL COST ESTIMATES

According to the Nairobi City Council planning department, construction cost per square meter is at KES 22,000 for a low to middle cost house. This means that the Haiti House© Plan house would cost KES 22,000X45m2=KES990, 000.
The same house constructed using the Haiti House© Plan technology will cost approximately KES 14,800X 45M2=KES 666,000.
This represents a KES 324,000 savings to the house owner. This is approximately 40% of savings.
COST OF Haiti House© PLANS
The cost of the Haiti House© Plan is derived from CAP 525 of the Laws of Kenya.
See a copy of CAP 525 here
http://www.kenyalaw.org/klr/index.php

ARCHITECTURAL COSTS CALCULATIONS

The total estimated cost of constructing the Haiti House© is KES 666,000.
Fees breakdown as per CAP 525 of the Laws of Kenya is broken down as follows:

Inception- 0%- 0
Outline proposals-1%-6660
Scheme design- 1.5%-9990
Detailed Design- 2%-13320
Tender action to completion- 1.5%-9990

The Scheme design is valued at KES 9,990.

TENDER ACTION AND CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION

To realize the low construction costs as described in the Haiti House©, the procurement of construction services is recommended to be labor based. The house owner is advised to enter into contract with a local labor-based contractor who will supply labor only. The house owner then works with a nearby hardware shop who will then supply materials to the site as per the materials breakdown.
This method will save the house owner and will help reduce the cost of construction to a manageable level.

PAYMENT METHODS.

Payment can be through Mpesa , bank-to bank transfer, cheque or in cash.

Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau
+254721410684
info@a4architect.com
http://www.a4architect.com

ESTIMATED COST OF CONSTRUCTION IN KENYA-FLATS.

August 13, 2011A4architecta4architect

ESTIMATED COST OF CONSTRUCTION IN KENYA-FLATS.
To get the estimated cost of construction for flats in Kenya, we will first need to identify the target market.
The target market is divided into 3 classes
1. High income earners
2. Middle income earners
3. Low income earners.

High income earners:

Projects in this range are located in areas such as Hurlingham, Kileleshwa e.t.c
The land location must be in a very prime area, near a tarmac road and in close proximity to CBD.
Construction cost is estimated at a minimum of KES 35,000 per square meter.
The house size is mainly 2 ,3 and 4 bedroomed, with a minimum size of 100 m2.
The two bedroomed unit will cost approximately KES 3.5m to construct.

Middle income earners:

Projects targeting this range are located in areas such as Umoja, Kitengela, Ngong, Kikuyu, Ruiru. Generally, the areas are located around 25 to 40 km from CBD and are in close proximity to tarmac roads.
The house size is mainly 1 and 2 bedroomed with a floor plinth area of approximately 35m2 for the 1 bedroomed and 60m2 for the 2 bedroomed.
The average construction cost per square meter for this type is KES 25,000.
The 2 bedroomed unit will cost approximately KES 1.5m to construct.

Low Income earners:

Projects targeting this category of people are located in Kayole, Ruai, and in most towns at a distance of over 1 km from the main tarmac road.
The house type is mainly single and double rooms, self contained or sharing a communal bathroom facility.
The construction cost is approximately KES 20,000 per square meter.
A double room of 25 m2 will cost KES 500,000 to construct.

CONSTRUCTION COST ESTIMATES BREAKDOWN

The construction cost estimates include labor, materials and professional fees.
The actual cost of construction is derived from the actual agreement that the land owner has with a building contractor. This amount varies from contractor to contractor depending on several factors.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.

Professional fees are constant and are set by the Kenyan Laws.
Chapter 525 of the laws of Kenya guide Architectural and Quantity Surveying Services.
Chapter 530 of the Laws of Kenya guide Structural, Civil, Mechanical and Electrical services.
Architectural fees are charged at 6% of the total cost of construction.
Quantity Surveying fees are at 3% of the total cost of construction.
Engineering fees vary between 1.5% to 3% depending on the complexity of involvement.

EXAMPLE

6 units on 0.5 acre plot in Kiambaa, Kiambu county.
The best target for this region is the Middle income earning class.
Therefore, the 6 units will cost 6 units x 60m2 x KES 25,000=KES 9,000,000.00.
The Architectural fees for full service from design until construction supervision to completion will be 6% x KES 9,000,000=KES 540,000.

Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau.
+254721410684
http://www.a4architect.com
info@a4architect.com

DEVELOPMENT OF BEDSITTERS ON 0.25 ACRE LAND

August 13, 2011A4architecta4architect

DEVELOPMENT OF BEDSITTERS ON 0.25 ACRE LAND

OPTION 1. MAXIMUM UNITS

Floor area- 450m2. Number of units- 18.

Estimated cost – 5,850,000.00 . Estimated rental income per month- 108000.

From HAITI HOUSE FLAT ROOF

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FEES
inception- 0% –
Outline Proposals -1%- 58,500.00
Scheme Design -1.5%- 87,750.00
Detailed Design -2%- 117,000.00
Supervision -1.5%- 87,750.00

OPTION 2. 50% UNITS

Floor area -225 m2. Number of units- 9.

Estimated cost- 2,925,000.00 . Estimated rental income per month- 54000.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FEES
inception -0% –
Outline Proposals -1%- 29,250.00
Scheme Design -1.5%- 43,875.00
Detailed Design -2%- 58,500.00
Supervision -1.5%- 43,875.00

OPTION 3. 6 UNITS

Floor area -148m2. Number of units -6.

Estimated cost 1,924,000.00 .Estimated rental income per month- 36000.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FEES
inception -0% –
Outline Proposals -1%- 19,240.00
Scheme Design -1.5%- 28,860.00
Detailed Design -2%- 38,480.00
Supervision -1.5%- 28,860.00

ASSUMPTIONS:
1.Design is based on the low cost technology specified in Haiti House © Design by http://www.a4architect.com
2.Rent is KES 6,000 per month.
3.Construction is labour-based i.e owner supplies material and pays for labour directly to the fundis.

Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau.
+254721410684
http://www.a4architect.com

THE MOST EFFICIENT HOUSE IN KENYA. DIAMOND HOUSE PLAN

August 8, 2011A4architecta4architect

THE MOST EFFICIENT HOUSE IN KENYA. DIAMOND HOUSE PLAN

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INTRODUCTION

From DIAMOND HOUSE FLAT ROOF

The Diamond house plan design is inspired by the Botswana Diamonds and was designed by www.a4architect.com to offer the most efficient housing solutions to the people of Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
The Diamond House is made of materials readily available in every hardware shop in Kenya. The efficiency is attained through unique architectural design and construction technology.
The walls are made of the usual masonry quarry stone or interlocking stabilized soil blocks,roofs made of the usual iron sheets, doors from the usual wood door Kenyan manufacturers and window frames from the usual aluminum/Louvre systems.

From HAITI HOUSE FLAT ROOF

The most efficient house to construct is the Diamond House plan designed by http://www.a4architect.com.

HAITI HOUSE PLAN

Research undertaken over several years in Kenya shows that the highest efficiency in construction in Kenya can only be achieved through utilizing the designs outlined in the Diamond House Plan model.

https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

The Diamond House plan model can achieve lows of between KES 10,000 to KES 15,000 per square meter [KES 450,000 – KES 650,000 for the 2 bedroom house].

DIAMOND HOUSE PITCHED ROOF VERSIONhttps://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

PHASED CONSTRUCTION
The house is designed to be constructed in phases with the first phase being 45m2 consisting of living room, kitchenette, bathroom and two small bedrooms. The other phase has been designed to easily merge with the first phase to make it a 3 or 4 bed roomed house as the house owner requires.
Whether it’s for use as a family home, holiday home or as a rentable unit in your backyard, the Diamond House plan surely meets your needs by offering the best value for your money.

From A4ARCHITECT HAITI/DIAMOND HOUSE

COST COMPARISON TO OTHER AVAILABLE OPTIONS

The other low cost method currently used in Kenya is Mabati housing which is estimated at KES 15,000 per square meter[KES 675,000 for a 2 bed roomed house] and SIP Prefabricated housing which is estimated at a minimum of KES 25,000 per square meter[KES1,100,000 for a 2 bed roomed house] .

DIAMOND HOUSE FLAT ROOF VERSIONhttps://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

The normal traditional house of the same size also costs approximately KES 1,100,000 to construct.

ASCERTAINMENT OF COSTS

These estimates can be ascertained by using the following methods:
1. Visit the nearest Local Authority planning department and inquire on the average cost of construction.
2. Google for suppliers of prefabricated houses and call to inquire on cost per square meter.
3. Google for Building and construction contractors and call to inquire on cost of constructing a basic house per square meter.

The Diamond House plan manages to reduce costs due to the following factors:

FLOOR PLAN DESIGN

The floor plan is designed such that there is no wastage of space by the rooms by unnecessary corridors. Doors are also placed in the most optimum location to maximize the use of room space. This enables the house to offer a lot of usable space within a small plinth area.

LOCAL MATERIALS

Use of local materials for construction also helps to keep the overall costs very low. These materials are available in every hardware shop in Kenya at a low cost.
There is a very minimal usage of imported materials.
The foundation is made using locally produced quarry stone.
The walls are made using locally produced masonry stones.
The roof is made using Mabati.
The doors and door frames are made using locally produced materials.
The paints specified are locally produced.
Only the basic necessities such as aluminum window frames and glass are imported from China. 99%of the materials are local.

USE OF LOCALLY AVAILABLE SKILL AND LABOUR

Use of locally available skill and labor helps in reducing the labor costs. The building construction technology used is the day-to-day method that fundis all over Kenya use to construct stone houses.
The difference is in the design in that in the Diamond House Plan design, the same materials are arranged differently e.g use of masonry stone ground floor slab instead of use of concrete slab, use of internal stone walling partition to support roof as opposed to using expensive wooden trusses, use of unplastered internal walls as opposed to plastered and painted internal walls e.t.c. Makiga Engineering’s stabilized soil blocks can come in handy for this type of construction.

CONCLUSION

The major parts of a building that are responsible to high construction costs are Foundation, Roofing and internal Finishes. The Diamond House plan has managed to address all these factors to come up with a very efficient house design.

The average house is broken down as follows:

Foundation-20% of total construction cost
Roofing: 20% of total construction cost.
Internal finishes: 20% of total construction cost.
Walling,Doors,windows,fixtures,septic tank,wiring,plumbing:40% of total construction cost.

Therefore, if the foundation, roofing and internal finishes representing 60% of construction cost ,are designed well, then massive construction cost savings can be achieved.

To obtain the Diamond House plans, click here for further explanation and cost breakdown.

Architect Francis Gichuhi Kamau.

Registered Architect.
info@a4architect.com
http://www.a4architect.com
+254721410684

CURRENT CONSTRUCTION COST RATES
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